DC’s upcoming Blue Beetle has been a frequent topic among several fans of the character after The Flash flopped following its opening weekend, leaving many wondering if the hero is enough to rewrite the sins of the DCEU’s past. While fans of the character are excited to see Jaime Reyes take to the silver screen in his own feature film, questions of how the character fits into the bigger picture arose following James Gunn’s announcement that the hero will kick-start Gunn’s new universe.
It’s easy to look at the buzz surrounding Blue Beetle and see the first steps towards a better DC live-action film franchise after the film’s first trailer was so well received by fans. Cobra Kai breakout star Xolo Maridueña embodies Jaime Reyes perfectly, Blue Beetle’s dynamic weaponry is brought to life in a way that exceeds many fans’ expectations, and with the edition of Gen-Z’s favorite Nick-At-Night-Sitcom-Dad, George Lopez, in a prominent role, this movie looks as though it deserves the hype it’s already getting. But with so many missteps and controversies living freshly in the minds of the public, can Blue Beetle be enough to rid the future DCU of the DCEU’s past?
WBD and DC need a win, badly
Warner Bros. Discovery and DC have had a rough go of 2023 so far. Shazam: Fury of the Gods tanked at the box office, and the consensus among critics and audiences alike is that the sequel to one of the DCEU’s most revered origin stories failed due to an uncomfortable commitment to cringe-inducing schtick acting from Zachary Levi and the egregious mishandling of acting legends Dame Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu. This, paired with Zachary Levi’s voluntary problematic behavior on social media following the film’s release (mocking Britney Spears about her conservatorship in an Instagram story, going on an anti-vax rant on twitter, and following multiple openly homophobic and transphobic accounts, to start) and audiences aren’t too ready to see him play the hero any time soon.
After years of setbacks, rewrites, and hype from fans of the character, The Flash opened to hilariously low domestic and international box office earnings – the film is the second-lowest domestic earner for the DCEU, landing just above Shazam: Fury of the Gods, and is the lowest earning international earner for the DCEU, only slightly surpassed by Shazam: Fury of the Gods. Despite glowing reviews from celebrities online (prompting jokes about whatever dirt DC must have on Hollywood to garner such glowing praise from the likes of Stephen King), the film is being panned as a disjointed almost-comedy which treats the character’s most iconic storyline, Flashpoint, as if it was written by someone who had overheard the main plot points and forced them into a multiverse movie. Pair that with Uncanny Valley-esque CGI, Barry Allen being played as if he’s a boy instead of an adult, and the public’s general disdain for Ezra Miller following their extracurricular activities over the last couple of years, and The Flash never really stood a chance.
Will audiences embrace a lesser-known hero again?
Following the proven track record of the DCEU showcasing their most popular comics characters, taking the Iron Man approach might be what DC Studios needs for audiences to give them a chance again. Blue Beetle has a long-standing comic history and a proven fanbase, but introducing a legacy character in the role in the hero’s first feature film is a little risky.
Blue Beetle won’t be Jaime Reyes’ first time depicted in superhero media. He made an appearance in an episode of Smallville and Batman: The Brave and The Bold. Young Justice has kept the character as part of its main roster since the show’s second season, even making him the focal point of Young Justice: Invasion. Most recently, he was included in the DCAMU as a member of the Teen Titans in three different movies. While Blue Beetle, especially Jaime Reyes’ version of the hero, might not be as well-known as Superman or Batman, he has no problem maintaining a fanbase of his own.
There’s no telling if audiences will be willing to give Blue Beetle a chance after The Flash failed as hard as it did. Maybe the promise of keeping the character around in James Gunn’s DCU will be enough to get people to buy tickets. Maybe director Angel Manuel Soto’s claims that Blue Beetle isn’t necessarily connected to the DCEU films that came before it will be enough to ease superhero fans’ concerns about another DC movie. If anything, Blue Beetle’s history as a B-list DC hero is most likely not the reason audiences aren’t looking forward to another DC movie at this time.
If Blue Beetle fails, what comes next?
Technically, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – which does not bode well after its own setbacks. However, so much is riding on Blue Beetle because the weight of the future of the DCU is seemingly on its shoulders. Though it won’t be the first movie in James Gunn’s new franchise, Jaime Reyes is considered the first hero to be featured in Gunn’s universe. It’s understandable to assume that if Blue Beetle flops, then the upcoming DCU is at serious risk.
However, it’s not actually that dire of a situation. James Gunn got a massive payout for bringing his talents to DC, and Warner Bros. Discovery is not going to take the loss on how much they’ve already spent to reboot DC live-action just because the Shazam sequel did poorly, and The Flash did poorly, and the Aquaman sequel most likely will also perform poorly. If Blue Beetle succeeds, then it’ll be revered by studio heads as a shining light, guiding the future of Gunn’s cinematic universe. If it performs as poorly as The Flash, then it’ll get swept under the rug and Jaime Reyes fans might need to go back to watching him in other animated projects.
Blue Beetle is set to premiere on August 18th, 2023.